Mumbai/New Delhi: In an embarrassment for the ruling BJP, its oldest ally Shiv Sena on Tuesday decided to side with West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Parliament on Wednesday to oppose the process in which the demonetisation move is being implemented by the Modi government.
South Mumbai Sena MP Arvind Sawant said Ms Mamata telephoned his party chief Uddhav Thackeray and sought the Sena’s support in “voicing the concerns of the common man”. He said the Sena was not against weeding out black money.
Mamata, Congress not on same page
Amid efforts by opposition parties to come on a common platform to corner the government on demonetisation, cracks surfaced on a proposed march by the Trinamul Congress to the President House over the issue with Congress and Left parties distancing themselves.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was, however, promised support by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
The opposition parties, which met here on the eve of the winter session of the Parliament, have decided to meet again on Wednesday morning.
The meeting of opposition parties was attended among others by Congress, Left parties, Trinamul Congress, NCP, DMK and the Janata Dal (United).
The opposition leaders unanimously concluded that it was too early to visit the President on the issue which must first be raised adequately in parliamentary forums.
Sources said that the reason for not agreeing for a march might be attributed to the fact that Left parties and Congress which were bitter rivals of the Trinamul in West Bengal were wary of being seen on a common platform for a proposal which was floated by Mamata Banerjee.
Officially, however, Congress leader in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad maintained that had the Parliament not been in session, the opposition would have gone to meet the President, but as the two Houses were meeting from tomorrow the issue should first be discussed and raised there. He said whatever the opposition members demanded if those were not fulfilled other options can be used.
CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury on his part said the proposed march to President’s house was not discussed in the meeting at all. Mohammed Salim, the CPM’s face in the Lok Sabha said that the opposition would seek all alternative tools in a democracy, including a demand for constituting a joint parliamentary committee to go into the issue.
Various parties have already given separate adjournment notices in the Lok Sabha and for suspension of proceedings in Rajya Sabha.
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee said “ Along with 40 of my MPs I am meeting the President on the demonetisation issue on Wednesday.”
